13
by dzio
Summary: Remy Hadley has a secret. In fact, she has many - that's one of the main reasons why House hired her. But this one is something that nobody, including her, ever suspected. A short crossover between my two favourite shows. R&R.


**A/N: **For a standard disclaimer see my profile. The lyrics on top are from "Undone" by Pearl Jam.

**Warning:** This story will make no sense whatsoever if you're not familiar with **both** Doctor Who (New Who, to be exact) and season 4 of House. Go watch them first, I promise you won't regret it, they are both amazing shows.

**oooooooooo**

"_Change don't come at once,_

_It's a wave building before it breaks."_

**oooooooooo**

They are all waiting in front of the doors to the lecture hall. Fifty or so brilliant minds, young, bright, and right now brimming with nervous excitement. Remy looks at the faces around her, some openly delighted, some pale and close to panic, some hiding their emotions behind stoic masks – or so they would like to think. She feels it too, but above all she feels wonder. There's so much potential in this hall, so much of the best of what humanity has to offer. And it's _fantastic_.

When the doors open she steps inside with a wide grin on her face.

**ooo**

He gives them numbers, because learning all their names would be too much of a bother. It's only a play and she's surprised anyone actually buys it. There may be fifty of them and it may seem like a lot but she knows that they were carefully chosen from hundreds of others. House read and evaluated every scrap of information about each and every person in the room that was available to him. Of course he knows their names. He just wants them to feel small and unimportant.

Still, it's his game, his rules, and Remy is not going to let something as insignificant as a little psychological manipulation bother her. Besides, she thinks, gazing at the tag in her hands, "13" suits her somehow.

**ooo**

Her success may depend on the failure of others, but that's not a reason not to be friendly once the day is over, she thinks. When House finally lets them go and the adrenaline rush stops, Remy and a few others decide to go out for a drink. She's enjoying herself up to the point when one of the guys asks her why she decided to become a doctor. He's a bit drunk, he's staring at her boobs and she can almost hear "you're too pretty to be smart" behind his question.

She says something snappy and rude, and the stupid ape mumbles an apology and turns to talk to somebody else. The real answer is that she can't imagine being anything else, because that title and everything it signifies is essentially who she is.

She orders another drink and then another, and it's probably one too many, because when she stands the world tilts dangerously and she has to grab her chair for support. For some reason when everything around her seems to be spinning gently she feels more sober than she can ever remember being.

**ooo**

In the end it's House. House and his nagging, his questions, his insanely intense curiosity and his complete lack of understanding of personal boundaries. Remy doesn't understand what's so important about her necklace. It's just a trinket, something pretty and shiny and original. She's had it for years, doesn't even remember where she got it. Why would House be so fascinated by it, she has no idea.

He gives her a long, searching look. "I asked you three hours ago," he finally says. "And an hour later. Yet somehow you don't remember either of those conversations. I don't know what you're shooting up, but I want some."

She stares at him without a word, not knowing whether he's screwing with her again or not. It seems to be the man's hobby after all.

"You really don't remember," he says and this time he actually looks concerned.

One part of her is delighted that she somehow made him slip and show that he is actually capable of human emotions. But the thought flickers and fades like a wisp of smoke, because the rest of her mind is focused on the feel of silver in her hand. It's warm against her skin, too warm, and suddenly her skin seems too warm as well.

"It's _wrong_..." she whispers, tracing engraved lines with her finger. House says something, but she can't hear him. There's a murmur in the back of her head, a voice – familiar and warm, but too distant to understand the words.

A hand on her shoulder startles her. She looks up and sees House standing over her, clearly worried.

"What's wrong?" he asks and Remy doesn't know how to explain.

Her hand tightens over the strangely warm metal and the voice grows louder, more distinct. It sounds like only few short words, but somehow she hears complete explanations and whole stories, about pain and change, about hurt and the need of sanctuary, a place to heal, a time to become whole again. The stories are so detailed and vivid that she can almost see them, feel them happening – to her.

_It's all right_, says the voice. _It's done, you can let go now. It's time._

And suddenly she knows.

"Thirteen! Doctor Hadley!" House yells at her, shaking her arm. "_Doctor!_"

"Yes," she says and opens the watch.

**oooooooooo**

fin.

**A/N: **There you have it, my first crossover. This story surprised me a little, I thought it would go in a completely different direction. Oh well, hope you enjoyed it. :)


End file.
